


Friends analysis

by StephaniD



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Analysis, Meta, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-19 23:19:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15520917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StephaniD/pseuds/StephaniD
Summary: So I've now watched all the scenes between Ezri and Worf in episodes 7.17 to 7.20 at least 7 times and I want to do an analysis.





	Friends analysis

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to see the clips I'm referring to, here are links to a couple compilation vids I made that YT won't let me post.  
> Without subtitles: https://www.dropbox.com/s/p5bdl75fu8xin6m/Friends%20NO%20SUB.mp4?dl=0  
> With subtitles: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sr5tittybgvkuvh/Friends%20SUBS.mp4?dl=0

In the first few episodes, one of them is always forgetting that she's not Jadzia. They're always angrily reminding each other that Ezri's not Jadzia, which is interesting in that they'll have a conversation where Ezri slips and Worf glares at her, then in their next conversation, Worf slips and Ezri gets mad. They both have trouble putting aside the woman she once was.

\-----

**Ezri: What are you doing?**

**Worf: I am re-initializing the inertial stabilizers.**

**Ezri: Didn't you just do that a few hours ago?**

 

Worf doesn't want Ezri getting space-sick. By repeatedly making sure the inertial stabilizers are operating how they're supposed to, he's trying to make the trip easier for Ezri, since the less inertia she feels from the ship, the less space-sickness she should feel (in theory).

\-----

**Worf: You do not regret what happened last night, do you? (sex)**

**Ezri: Why do you say that?**

 

Ezri regrets it. She doesn't want to admit it to Worf so she dodges his questions, but she knows that Jadzia, not Ezri, loves Worf; and that Worf loves Jadzia, not Ezri.

\-----

**Worf: You are a lot like her.**

**Ezri: In some ways.**

**Worf: I thought that I had lost her forever, but you and I will have many years together.**

**Ezri smiles sadly and looks away.**

 

Ezri knows that Worf considers sex and marriage to go hand in hand, and that last night she was giving in to what Jadzia wanted, and that Worf was seeing his dead wife, not Ezri. She knows this relationship won't last, but doesn't want to point out to Worf again that she's not Jadzia. Possibly she values this moment of quiet conversation and doesn't want to start arguing again.

\-----

**Ezri's dream: They we're chasing me. In an ice cave… I couldn't get away from them. Every time I looked back they were right behind me. And then one of them grabbed me with this huge claw. ... Anyway, I got away from him, but then there was nowhere to run. And then just when I thought he was about to kill me, he reached out, took off his helmet... and it was Julian.**

 

Obviously, she's running from her feelings about Julian, which could be seen as dangerous given her mental state (less than a year after an unprepared joining) and the fact that Jadzia and Julian liked each other. It's possible that the cold environment was a reference to how Ezri may come off as cold if she doesn't reciprocate Julian's feelings.

Additionally, when Worf jokes that her dream means that Julian is a Breen, she shuts him down with a flat 'very funny’. She knows that humor is Dax’s coping mechanism, not Worf’s, and doesn't want his sympathy. It also shows that she doesn't want to consider Julian's role in her dream and what he might symbolize.

\-----

She uses so many little things that I can totally see being taught to people learning to be a counselor. "Why do you say that?" "Go on." her body language, continuing to try and communicate with Worf... Though she seems annoyed at having to use psychology to get him to talk to her, she keeps at it and it works. At one point they're sitting apart and Worf is staring at Ezri. Annoyed, she asks "What's wrong?", then realizes that Worf will likely respond in kind if she's argumentative; and makes herself act more calm and rational, quietly adding that Worf hasn't said a word to her in hours. 

\-----

It's very rare for the viewers to see them resolve their interpersonal conflicts, their arguments are almost always interrupted by their captors, which I find interesting in a thematic, meta way. The story itself is preventing them from finding understanding and common ground.

\-----

From the time they abandon the runabout to when they meet Weyoun, Worf and Ezri are in poorly lit environments, preventing them from seeing each other well, and preventing them from clearly seeing their surroundings. It's also interesting that after they reach Cardassia their light and surroundings change from dim and blue-tinted (cold) to brighter and orange-tinted (warm). Their conversations also change to far less yelling, and more understanding and actual constructive communication. The environment reflecting their relationship is a nice touch. 


End file.
